Environment

(Reuters) – Schools and daycares in British Columbia’s Vancouver School District were closed on Wednesday due to a rare extreme cold weather front that is hitting Canada’s western province, with residents advised against traveling. Environment Canada has issued extreme weather warnings for several areas in British Columbia, including snowfall warnings for Fraser Canyon and Fraser

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Three years ago, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, then Treasurer, brandished a lump of coal in parliament as a totem of how the ruling conservative coalition planned to keep the lights on and power prices low. FILE PHOTO: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General

LONDON/BOSTON (Reuters) – BlackRock (BLK.N) Chief Executive Larry Fink warned company boards to step up efforts to tackle climate change, a significant shift by the world’s biggest investment manager, which has faced mounting concerns about its role as a major fossil fuel investor. FILE PHOTO: A sign for BlackRock Inc hangs above their building in

BEIJING (Reuters) – China expects to make a “breakthrough” on the establishment of a nationwide carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) by the end of this year, the country’s senior climate change official told Reuters on Tuesday. The comments by Li Gao, head of the climate office at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, were made

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – The Australian government committed A$50 million ($34.58 million) to an emergency wildlife recovery program on Monday, calling the bushfires crisis engulfing the country “an ecological disaster” that threatens several species, including koalas and rock wallabies. An injured juvenile koala rests at the emergency response wildlife shelter in Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia January 10,

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – A political poll showed Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s popularity declined sharply as his government grappled with a bushfires crisis that has killed 28 people and destroyed 2,000 homes. FILE PHOTO: An Australian Army combat engineer from the 5th Engineer Regiment utilises a JD-450 Bulldozer to spread out burnt woodchip at the

MANILA (Reuters) – A volcano near the Philippines capital spewed ash up to 15 km (nine miles) into the sky on Sunday, prompting the evacuation of thousands of people, the cancellation of flights and warnings of a possible explosive eruption and volcanic tsunami. A view of the Taal volcano eruption seen from Tagaytay, Philippines January

KABUL (Reuters) – A severe cold snap killed at least 17 people in Afghanistan on Saturday, government officials said, as heavy snowfall and rain continued to lash parts of the country. Afghanistan is no stranger to extreme winter weather, during which various warring groups in the country have historically ceased hostilities, but this year has

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – After weeks of criticism over the handling of the bushfires scorching Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday he will propose a national review into the response to the disaster, as the fires claimed another firefighter’s life. Smoke rises from a fire at the Adaminaby Complex near Yaouk, New South Wales,

MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippine airport authority on Sunday suspended flights at Manila’s international airport after a volcano in nearby Batangas province spewed a giant plume of ash. The Taal volcano generated a 1-km (0.6 mile) high ash plume accompanied by rumbling sounds and tremors earlier in the day, indicating increased unrest that could lead

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian cricketer Shane Warne’s prized “baggy green” cap raised more than A$1 million ($686,000) on Friday for bushfire relief efforts after the former leg-spinner donated it for auction. FILE PHOTO: Australian former cricketer Shane Warne poses as he arrives at the European premiere of “Deepwater Horizon” at Leicester Square in London, Britain

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Authorities issued new warnings and evacuation notices across southeast Australia on Thursday, as a return of hot weather fanned huge bushfires threatening several towns and communities. Smoke and haze over mountains are seen from a No 11 Squadron P-8A Poseidon conducting damage assessment and surveillance in the bushfire-affected area near Cooma, New

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) – Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency on Tuesday after a series of earthquakes killed at least one person, toppled buildings and knocked out power to nearly the entire island of more than 3 million people. The largest of the quakes in the U.S. territory registered

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) – Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard on Tuesday after a series of earthquakes including one of magnitude 6.4 that was the most powerful to strike the Caribbean island in 102 years. The temblors killed at least one person, provoked a

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian firefighters used cool weather on Tuesday to try to strengthen containment lines around almost 200 wildfires burning in the country’s southeast, as Prime Minister Scott Morrison prepared to meet with insurance and bank executives to discuss the crisis. Fires have razed more than 8 million hectares (19.8 million acres) of land

MELBOURNE/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian officials took advantage of better weather on Monday to reopen roads blocked by wildfires and move some people to safety although thick smoke stalled rescue efforts and hundreds of people remained stranded. A burning gum tree is felled to stop it from falling on a car in Corbago, as bushfires continue